25 Reasons to Work at BigWing

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work at a digital marketing agency in Oklahoma City? Well, we can’t speak for all of them, but we can certainly provide some insight on what it’s like to work at BigWing.

Whether you’re searching for better growth opportunities, looking for a career and not a job, or are considering a move to OKC, this article is for you. Step inside our shoes for a minute and check out the top 25 reasons to work at BigWing.

Working in Downtown OKC

1. Downtown. Location, location, location! Working in downtown OKC has numerous perks. For starters, our building is right across the street from the beautiful Myriad Gardens, which makes afternoon breaks rather delightful. We’re also only a block away from the Chesapeake Arena, so if you’re an Oklahoma City Thunder season ticket holder (or just attending a game), you don’t have to travel too far after work!

We’re within walking distance to Bricktown, Film Row, and the plethora of restaurants that occupy the Downtown OKC streets, so don’t hesitate to explore during lunch. Also, working in downtown OKC just feels cool. You’re surrounded by bustling businesses and tall buildings without losing that sense of small-town charm. And did we mention there are secret tunnels?

2. Free Downtown Parking. That’s right, boys and girls – free downtown parking. And not just when you’re working! Free nights. Free weekends. Free whenever. Remember how I said BigWing is within walking distance to basically everything downtown? Remember how expensive downtown parking usually is otherwise? Maybe you don’t…but now you do! Free downtown parking in OKC is potentially the best thing about working at BigWing. You know, minus the job itself…and the people…and everything else on this list.

3. Coffee. All the coffee. It starts inside BigWing with free coffee – all day, every day – in order to keep you energized for client meetings and that keyboard clicking. But what if you want a latte, or perhaps a blood orange tea? BigWing is within walking distance to several coffee shops, including Aravalli inside Devon Tower (try the cookies & gelato if you go), Clarity Coffee (our go-to for gourmet drinks), and a new favorite, Bloom (located just a short walk through the tunnels.) If you’re craving more caffeine, check out our guide to all of our favorite coffee shops in the area.

Company Culture

4. Company Parties. Every year, BigWingers get together and celebrate the joy of Christmas or sweet summertime (or just the joy of having a fun time and a few drinks).From TopGolf to backyard cookouts, we make sure to get together twice a year for some company fun.

5. Happy Hours. Every hour is a ‘happy hour’ at BigWing! …But really, we go get drinks and happy hour fare together once a month. There are a plenty of bars and restaurants just down the road, but sometimes we’ll get crazy and venture to other OKC districts. Bring your significant other. Bring your dog. Bring your parents! We’ll welcome them all with open arms (or wings).

6. Flex Fridays. Despite its name, we’re not referring to hitting the gym (although, be sure to check out reason No. 17). Flex Fridays are an optional (but awesome) perk to the BigWing team. We know that work can sometimes be grueling. We know that it’s hard staying at work late on Fridays when it’s so beautiful outside. We know that sometimes you just want to start your weekend early.

Taking these things into consideration, BigWing’s Flex Friday program gives you the option of taking half the day off every other Friday. In order to participate, just make sure you’re picking up the slack throughout Monday-Thursday and make sure all your deadlines are accounted for. Above all else, enjoy your early weekend!

7. Volunteer Days. We love giving back to the community. If you don’t have an organization that you routinely volunteer with, don’t worry – we set up plenty of volunteering opportunities throughout the year. Our mentoring program allows you to get out of the office once a week for an hour and mentor at a local elementary school. We also volunteer with the OK Humane Society, the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity. Just recently we helped build a home with Habitat for Humanity, hammering nails and strengthening relationships as we did it. Not to get all sappy – but nothing brings a team together faster than being entrusted to raise some walls. Not to mention, if you contribute to the company’s United Way fair share program, you’ll earn an extra day off. Sign us up!

8. Our Employees are Like Family. Let’s face it: Your workplace is essentially your home-away-from-home. You spend 40 or more hours a week here, so you need to not only enjoy the company you work for, but the company around you. We’re a close-knit group at BigWing, and we can guarantee that you’ll be making friendships that last much longer than any job you’ll ever hold. We treat each other like family because that’s really what we are.

9. Our Values are SPICCEE. No, not spicy. SPICCEE. We took a good look at our cultural values back in 2016 and decided these seven values define our culture and are at the core of everything we do.

From exuding these qualities when working with clients to interacting internally, you can learn more about our SPICCEE Values here.

Continuing Your Education

10. Confluence Conference. Did you know that BigWing puts on Oklahoma’s largest digital marketing conference?! We’re in our fifth year of Confluence, and we keep getting bigger and bigger. This year, we’re hosting Confluence Sept. 14-15 at the Chevy Bricktown Events Center. Confluence is a great opportunity to hear from renowned digital marketing experts right in our own backyard, and we have a lot of fun putting it on. Working at BigWing means you have the option of also working on the marketing, programming, operations and hospitality teams for Confluence.

11. Go to Conferences. When you get hired on at BigWing, we don’t expect you to know absolutely everything about digital marketing – that’s impossible. What we do expect, though, is for you to continue your education. One way we like to do that is by sending our employees to local, regional and national digital marketing conferences.

In the past, our employees have attended conferences like SMTulsa, Dallas Digital Summit, Authority Rainmaker, SMX, SMMMW, and MozCon. Are you interested in public speaking? Even better! Feel free to apply to speak at all the conferences your heart desires and BigWing will help you get there to speak.

12. Lift Sessions. Along with Confluence, BigWing also puts on monthly seminars/workshops called Lift Sessions. This is a great way to not only hear from amazing local speakers, but also to network with like-minded professionals (while sharing snacks and coffee, of course). We routinely represent BigWing in these sessions, so speaking opportunities are readily available. This is a great way to bolster your confidence before you apply to speak at larger conferences.

13. Monthly Training. Along with monthly Lift Sessions, we also provide monthly internal trainings open to everyone. If you’re on the SEO team but want to learn more about web development, we’ll have a session for you. If you’re wondering how to better incorporate branding and social media into your content marketing strategy, we can make that talk happen. These monthly trainings provide a smorgasbord of learning. This also gives our employees a chance to show off their mad digital marketing skills.

Extra Perks

14. Cool building, cool cubes. In 2015, BigWing made the move into downtown OKC. Our new space is modernized, open, functional and bright. And did we mention, our chairs are ergonomic?

15. Collaboration Stations. We may not have nap pods like Google, but we do have some seriously great collaboration stations and meeting rooms. Collaboration between departments isn’t just a suggestion at BigWing. There will be plenty of times when you’ll need to trek up or down the stairs and chat with a co-worker about a project, and that’s why we’ve put in great collaboration stations all over the building.

16. Snacks on Snacks on Snacks. If you don’t feel like walking to get your lunch, you actually don’t have to. Our 2nd-floor break room is equipped with snacks, salads, sandwiches and an assortment of different items offered at a discount with your employee account. The breakroom overlooks downtown OKC, so this is a great spot to relax, clear your head and people-watch.

17. Racks on Racks on Racks. Okay, NOW you can hit the gym. Located on the first floor of our building is Oklahoma City’s downtown YMCA on Main. Our employees enjoy discounted memberships and there are plenty of awesome classes you can take at your convenience. If fitness classes aren’t your cup of tea, there are several machines and free weights that you can use to sculpt your bod.

19. AND DOGS VISIT SOMETIMES. PUPPIES?! We’re not even kidding. The Oklahoma Humane Society visits once a month and brings the most adorable dogs you’ve ever seen. Sorry in advance for all the dogs you’re inevitably going to adopt. As of 2017 – the BigWing team has adopted four pups from the Humane Society.

20. The Feather. I’m sure every month you get emails from companies that you love, only to open them and find that the same sale from last month is happening. These emails can be frustrating and make you want to unsubscribe. Fortunately for you, we have an internal email newsletter that will make all those other emails seem EVEN MORE worthless. Say hello to The Feather, a monthly chronicle of BigWing news, humorous social media posts from employees (that we like to call ‘Bird Droppings’), and a few other gems sure to brighten up your inbox.

21. Fun Clients. Want to tweet about burritos? Good thing Qdoba is one of our clients. BigWing’s clientele is vast, ranging from restaurants and universities to lawyers and healthcare professionals. Our specialists get to learn about things they never thought they would. We might not be actual doctors, but when you get knee-deep into a health care campaign, you’ll feel like you went to medical school.

22. Free Tickets to Stuff. Every week you’ll be emailed a company FYI. Not only does this contain information on events that are happening in/around the office, but you’ll almost always be offered the chance to pick up free tickets to stuff – Oklahoma City Dodgers games, shows at the Lyric Theatre and Civic Center, and more. We want you to get out and enjoy our awesome community.

23. EVEN MORE SWAG. Did you think we were done at tickets?! GUESS AGAIN. Working at BigWing means that you’ll have the chance to obtain SO. MUCH. SWAG. We’re talking notebooks, t-shirts, polos, magnets, paper airplanes, and more. Deck out your desk (and your closet) with BigWing gear.

24. Countless opportunities to be a thought leader. One of our favorite things about digital marketing is its ever-changing landscape. But to stay on our A-Game, we’re always researching, testing, and telling others about our results. From our monthly podcast, The Nest, to writing guest posts on the BigWing blog, if you want to let the world know the latest thing you’ve learned, this is the place to step up to the plate and get the word out.

25. We’re like a startup company, with corporate benefits. Some people don’t realize this, but because BigWing is owned by the Oklahoman Media Company, we get to enjoy the perks and benefits of a corporate culture and the security of an established company. Our full-time employees have paid vacation (and can earn more with fitness and volunteering opportunities), health care options, and other insurance benefits to keep you covered.

There are so many reasons to want to work at BigWing, but these 25 will help give you an idea of what we’re all about.